The present invention relates generally to single-track roller skates of the type generally known as xe2x80x9cin-line skatesxe2x80x9d or roller blades.
In-line skates generally have four or five wheels arranged one after the other in a single line in the running direction. The wheels are rotatably mounted on a frame or chassis, and the frame is connected with the sole of the shoe or may be integrated into the sole of the shoe. An example of a skate of this type is described in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,983. Other examples are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,411,278 of Wittman and U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,860 of Conte.
Typically, the frame of an in-line skate includes a pair of plates between which the rollers are rotatably mounted. In so-called extreme or stunt skates, the center of the lower edge of each plate is arched to provide a sliding surface for the skater to slide or grind along a railing, curbstone edge, or the like more easily. In some cases, a so-called xe2x80x9cH-blockxe2x80x9d of a different material is mounted between the side plates in this region, with a similar arched, downwardly facing surface, to allow the skater to slide more easily along such edges. The H-block may be made of various materials in order to provide faster or slower sliding surfaces. One problem with such stunt skates is that repeated sliding or grinding of the plates against a pavement edge will cause abrasion and damage to the plates.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved H-block device for an in-line roller skate.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an in-line roller skate is provided, which comprises a frame for attachment to the underside of a shoe, the frame having a pair of spaced, parallel downwardly directed plates, a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted in a line between the plates, the plates each having an outer surface, and a lower edge, each lower edge having an upwardly indented, cut-out region of predetermined height between an adjacent pair of wheels, and a separate H-block mounted in the cut-out region of the plates, the H-block comprising a generally rectangular block having outer side faces substantially flush with the outer surface of the respective plates, and a downwardly directed, lower arcuate face, the lower arcuate face and outer side faces of the H-block together providing a sliding surface for sliding maneuvers.
In an exemplary embodiment, the cut-out region in each plate is generally rectangular and has a height equal to at least half of the overall height of the plate, so that the H-block completely replaces the outer surface of the plate in that region to form a grinding or sliding surface, protecting the frame surface against damage. If the H-block is damaged, it can be replaced much more easily and inexpensively than replacing the entire roller blade frame. The H-block may be made of any suitable material for providing a desired fast or slow sliding surface.
This invention prevents grinding damage to the frame sides in the grinding or sliding region, and instead completely replaces the frame sides in this area with an H-block. Thus, the sides of the H-block will be ground down or abraded, rather than the frame sides, and wear of the frame as a result of grinding stunts is substantially prevented.